Osprey Busy Rebuilding New Nest After PSEG Erects Pole

RIVERSIDE, NY — A pair of osprey who've captured the hearts of an entire community are busy building their new home.

On Wednesday, neighbors took a collective sigh of relief as a new pole was erected for osprey left homeless after PSEG removed their nest.

Watching the osprey Thursday, neighbor Dawn Flanagan said the Riverside osprey were "working overtime to get their nest ready" and had quite a good base going already.

Terry Flanagan, who created a Facebook page, Homeless Ospreys, was overjoyed at the outcome. "It’s like having a birthday two days in a row," he said, adding that he wanted to thank all the politicians and the fourth estate.

Dawn, Terry's wife, added, "It’s very rewarding to see them rebuilding. Each day brings new promise of things to come. I look forward to going down there each day to see what’s happening."

New York State Assemblyman Fred Thiele also advocated for the avians. "I'm pleased that PSEG listened to public outcry and quickly installed a new, taller utility pole with a fiberglass platform on top for the birds to rebuild their nest," he said Wednesday.

When the nest was removed Monday, neighbors were outraged, turning to social media to implore PSEG to set up a new pole for the osprey, who were furiously trying to rebuild the nest in the exact same spot.

PSEG responded immediately. On Wednesday, PSEG Long Island media representative Elizabeth Flagler said, "We will be replacing the existing pole with a taller pole that has a state-of-the-art fiberglass platform on top so the birds can safely build their nest in close proximity to the original nesting area and away from the power lines."

A few hours later, with the new pole standing tall Wednesday, the osprey could be seen already making themselves at home.

And neighbors couldn't be more pleased.

"To say I am relieved that PSEG responded so quickly is an understatement," Terry Flanagan said. "Response from community leaders and politicians was amazing. Had PSEG not done the right thing, this community was ready."

In fact, a protest march had already been planned for Riverhead Saturday, had the new pole not been installed.

On Tuesday, one day after outraged neighbors cried out about osprey evicted after PSEG removed their nest, PSEG said they are weighing their options in regard to a new pole.

But Flagler said it was necessary to remove the original nest. "Due to the emergency of this situation and the time of year, it was imperative to remove the nest before the birds laid eggs, had chicks and the nest caught fire."

PSEG, she said Tuesday, was "in the process of weighing our options to secure a new location and all necessary permissions to erect a pole for the osprey."

PSEG Long Island is committed to delivering consistent, safe electric power for its customers while balancing its commitment to being a good environmental steward, Flagler added.

"PSEG Long Island will continue to collaborate with organizations to help protect the nesting areas of the osprey on Long Island," she said.

Flagler also said that when workers arrived at the nest Monday they found it "inactive" — which means there are no eggs or flightless young. "The ospreys nesting makes the nest occupied, not active. We hope by removing the nest from this dangerous situation, when the birds begin to rebuild at the new location they will be safe."

But on Tuesday, neighbors said the osprey were frantically still trying to build a new nest in the exact same spot where theirs had long been sited.

Flanagan said he went to the site, located on Flanders Road, and was told by PSEG workers that they are looking for the best place to locate the pole.

"Time is of the essence," he said.

The osprey, left homeless after PSEG removed their nest, won the hearts of a caring East End community.

Residents turned to social media to cry out after the nest was removed in Riverside Monday to express their anger and heartbreak.

According to the Homeless Ospreys page, on Monday, PSEG contracted with a company to remove debris from utility poles on Flanders Road in Riverside — and, in the process, a family of osprey was evicted.

Not only did workers remove the nest, they threw the nest materials into the adjoining bushes and on the ground, including pieces of black garbage bags and other debris, Flanagan said.

Flanagan said the frantic osprey were toiling to rebuild in the same spot where the next was sited. "They will rebuild in place and PSEG will evict them again due to type of pole. PSEG — give them their own pole," Flanagan implored.

Flagler said Monday that PSEG had two reports of arcing wires at that location over the weekend. "The nest was inactive, so we removed the nest today before the birds return and start nesting," she said. "It is safer for the birds and the electric system to remove the nest before it catches fire and causes an outage affecting a large area of customers. It would be worse if the birds laid their eggs, had chicks and the nest caught fire."

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation was notified, Flagler said.

Flanagan said he agreed there was a legitimate concern about the nest being built atop insulators that could cause a fire.

But he said he believed PSEG was "outright lying" about the nest being unoccupied; the osprey have been back for two weeks, he said — and residents have taken photos of the birds at the nest.

"We don't have a lot in the Flanders/Riverside area — but we do have our osprey," Flanagan said. "They're a great source of pride for us."

Watching the osprey circle over the spot, Flanagan said workers should have reported that the nest was, indeed, occupied.

Seeing the birds trying to rebuild, he said, was "really very sad. All they know is that they had a nest, and now, it's gone."

He and others urged PSEG to erect another pole for the osprey; Flanagan reminded that there are regulations protecting nests.

The federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 states that it is illegal to disturb or destroy a nest containing eggs or birds.

While PSEG maintains that the nest was inactive, neighbors disagree.

Flanagan said the community feels blessed that the osprey have rallied after years of seeing numbers plummet due to the pesticide DDT.

"We're lucky to have them come back," he said.

Patch photos courtesy Terry and Dawn Flanagan.